Kerry suggested that Poroshenko think carefully before promising to recapture the Donetsk airport
The United States considered the plans of the Ukrainian authorities to liberate the Donetsk airport to be a serious threat to the Minsk agreements. Kyiv’s attempts to recapture the airport from the militias of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” would be a destructive step, US Secretary of State John Kerry said following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi.
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According to Kerry, Washington would be very concerned about the outcome of such actions by Kyiv. If Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko advocates military action, the United States would urge him to consider it first, RIA Novosti reports.
On Tuesday, following a meeting with Sergei Lavrov and Vladimir Putin in Sochi, John Kerry said that the fire in Shirokino (Donetsk region) should be stopped and the equipment removed from there.
“Today I spoke about what steps the parties could take in the coming weeks and days. We believe that a genuine ceasefire in Shirokino must happen. I think that Sergei (Lavrov) and President Putin agreed that this is important... Demilitarization, weapons removal and OSCE monitoring are also important,” the Secretary of State said.
According to him, at negotiations in Sochi with Russian politicians, further steps to resolve the crisis in Ukraine were discussed: “Regardless of who started this conflict, it has been going on for too long. Today I spoke about what steps the parties may take in the coming weeks and days,” Kerry said.
The Secretary of State noted that “it is necessary for a genuine dialogue to take place within the working groups of the Minsk agreement regarding the elections in Donbass, as well as on the issue of decentralization.” “Humanitarian access must also be ensured,” Kerry added.
He told Petro Poroshenko by phone about his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi.
Let us remind you that Poroshenko at the premiere of the documentary film “Airport” said that the airport in Donetsk, which is under the control of the militia, will be recaptured.
Kerry suggested Poroshenko think twice before promising to retake Donetsk airport.